Traveling rocking-horse.



S. SPAIN.

TRAVELING ROCKING HORSE. APPLIMTION FILED rm. 8, 1909.

Patented Oct. 19, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

S. SPAIN. TRAVELING ROCKING HORSE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 12, 1909.

Patented Oct. 19, 1909.

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7 y mm 9 F k F w M r a m Z9 3 7 3 9 ENE SYLVESTER SPAIN, 0F WATERTOWN, NEW YORK.

TRAVELING ROCKING-HORSE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 19, 1999.

Application filed. February 8, 1909. Serial No. 476,791.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SYLvEs'rnn SPAIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at VVatertown, in the county of Jefferson and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Traveling Rocking-Horses, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in traveling rocking horses, designed for use as playthings for the amusement of children.

The invention relates particularly to improvements in the devices shown and described in my United States Patent No. 893,108, dated July 14, 1908.

The object of this invention is to provide a rocking figure, which, at the will of the rider, may be operated as a simple rocking horse, or as a traveling vehicle.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rocking horse which may be made to travel straight ahead, or which may be guided or steered either to the right or left,

' without dismounting or requiring alteration or adjustment of any of the parts, of the device. And a further object is to generally simplify the construction, and to improve, as well as to reduce, the number of working parts of devices of the class.

The invention consists principally of a figure resembling a horse, the body of which is arranged in two parts, the said parts being pivotally joined together, and each of said parts being mounted upon a separate pair of rockers, the front rockers arranged oblique to each other, and disposed between and telescoping the rear rockers.

The invention furtherconsists of a rockable seat, pivotally mounted upon the front part of the horse, in a manner to control the gathering movement of the main parts of the horse.

The invention further consists of simple means carried by both the front and rear body parts of the horse, capable of cooperation for the purpose of temporarily locking the two body parts in extended position. And the invention further consists of simple means for setting and holding the horse in extended position for converting the same into a simple rocking horse.

The invention further consists of the features and combination of'parts set forth in the detail description which follows, and as j illustrated by the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the rocking horse, with the saddle in section, showing the embodiment of the invention, also show ing by full and dotted lines the difl'erent positions into which the main parts of the figure may be placed when the device is operated. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a rocking horse, with the saddle in section, and a portion of the body broken away, showing the rear rockers tilted backward and resting on the floor, while the front rockers are lifted and extended away from the rear part; also showing the locking mechanism in positionto hold the body parts extended until the depending tongue of the saddle releases the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view, showing in full lines the device closed up, as in Fig. 1; also showing by full and dotted lines the device extended as in Fig. 2; also showing by dotted lines the manner of swinging the horses head and front parts for the purpose of steering the animal either to the right or left when traveling. Fig. l is a partial plan view, showing the method of assembling the. parts of the horse. Fig. 5 is a part side elevation and part section, on line 5-5 of Fig. 3, showing the method of constructing the flexible joint in the front part of the horse; also showing the tongue of the saddle in its relation to the locking mechanism, the latter being in full release position. Fig. 6 is a part section taken from Fig. 5, showing the parts of the horse extended and the latch or lock just released by the shifting of the tongue of the saddle, to allow the closing up or gathering of the parts.

Similar characters of reference are assigned to corresponding parts throughout the several figures.

. In the drawings, 2 represents the horses head and neck and 3 the front body portion, to which the front legs 4 are connected. To the rear end of body part 3 is flexibly joined an extension 6, which is coupled to the part 3 by means of a thin plate or sheet of steel 7,or other flexible or spring-like material, which is secured in place'by rivets or screws 9, which pierce the parts 3 and 6, and also the parts 7.

10 represents a part preferably made of the same material as the body and legs of the horse, which is rigidly secured to the left or front side of the extension 6, as shown.

11 represents the rear body part supported by the hind legs 12. The front end of the rear body part is cut away on the left or front side to form recesses 13 and 13 while the right side lat extends forward slightly past the middle of the horse. The recess 13 is provided to receive the parts 6 and 10, both of which extend rearwardly past the middle of the horse (see Figs. 1, 8, at and The two sections 3 and 11 areconstructed so as to overlap at the middle of the figure, and they are then pivotally joined together by a bolt 15 which 'is disposed in a tube 15', both of which pierce the parts 6, and 14. Upon the tube the front and rear parts of thehorse are swung, for stretching and gathering'the body parts when the horse is being operated. The tube 15 is preferably made the length of the thickness of the over-lap ping body parts and allows the bolt 15 to turn independently of the tube, as when applying and tightening up the nut of the former. To complete the rocking feature of the figure, a separate pair of rockers are provided for each of the body parts. The front rockers 16 are joined together by cross bars 17, to which are rigidly connected the front feet 4, by a series of clips 19. The front rockers are arranged oblique to each other as shown in the drawings, the rear ends being spaced closer than the front ends. I

represents a pair of rockers connected by cross bars 17, to which the hind legs 12 are rigidly secured by clips 19 the same as the front feet. The rearroc'kers 20 are dis posed parallel to each other, and the inner ends of the front rockers are disposed be tween the rear rockers and at all times overlap the same. The front and rear rockers have substantially the same curvature or radius,'but when the front and rear parts of the animal are joined by the bolt 15, the rockers are not'concentric, the center of the front pairof rockers is always forward of the center of the rear rocker.

' 22 represents a saddle or rockable seat,

7 which may be made of any suitable material,

but is preferably cast, and is provided on its under side near its center, with a depending tongue or arm 23, which is preferably formed integral with the seat. The extension 6 of the front part of'the horse is slotted longitudinally, as at '2 to receive the tongue 23 of the saddle. This slot is made deep enough to allow the tongue free movement back and forward therein. The saddle is pivotally mounted in the slot 24L by a bolt or pin 25 which passes through the part 6and also through the tongue (see Figs. 2, 4;, 5 and 6). The saddle is pivoted rearwardly of the main pivot bolt 15, for the purpose of throwing the Weight of the riderand seat, at a point where they will assist in tilting the head and front parts of the animal upwardly away from the rear parts, when the horse is stretched for traveling or other action. The lower end of the tongue 23 projects slightly below the belly of the horse at all times, but owing to the position of the pivot pin employed for securing the saddle in place, when the saddle is tilted forward the full distance, the lower point of the tongue projects a greater distance below the body of the horse, as shown in Fig. 6.

26 represents a spring, the rear end of which is'rigidly secured to the under side of the rear part 11 by screws 27. The spring when at rest lies centrally beneath the body of the horse, and the front end extending forward past the joint between the parts 3 and 6. Near the front end of the spring, on its upper side, is disposed a stop or catch 29, preferably formed by punching or drawing a portion of the spring upwardly to form an abrupt shoulder on the upper side, for engaging a catch 30, which comprises a metal bar which is rigidly secured to the lower rear corner of the part 6 (see Figs. 5 and 6). The tension of spring 26 normally holds the stop or lug 29 against the under side of the horse, with the abrupt shoulder of the stop facing toward the head. Under this construction and arrangement when the front part of the horse is lifted or stretched away from the rear part the distance allowed by the side part 10, the rear upper corner of which at such time engages the upper right wall of the recess 13, at 31, the catch 30 passes over stop 29 and catches on the front side of said stop, as shown in Fig. 2. After the horse has been extended, as shown in Fig. 2, in order to cause the animal to advance or travel when rocked forward, the rider should lean forward when he rocks forward, and at the same time tilt the saddle in the same direction. This will elfect the backward swinging of the lower end of tongue 23, which will then press the free end of the spring 26 downwardly away from the catch 30, and thereby release the locking parts, as shown in Fig. 6. lVhen the horse is rocked forward after it has been extended, and t e locking parts are released as describe the rear parts will immediately approach toward the front part, and the'horse will have progressed one step or leap. in this manner the animal may be made to travel, advancing a distance equal to the stretch of the front and rear parts. If the rider desires to rock'in a circle, or otherwise deviate from a straight forward coursc,'he

may do so, immediately after he has extended the horse, as in Fig. 2, by pulling on either the right or left side of rein 32,01 by twisting the horses head on the spring joint between the parts 3'and 6 by means of a handle bar 33 which is securedto'the neck of the horse. Hence, if the rider pulls on the left rein when the horse is extended, the front parts will be turned in the direction and to the extent shown by the dotted lines 35 of Fig. 3, and when the rear parts close up the animal will turn slightly to the left. If he pulls on the right rein the front parts will turn to the right as shown by dotted lines 36 in Fig. 3, and the horse will travel to the right. By repeating either of these operations, the horse may be made to travel in a circuitous course in one direction or the other. The arrangement of the front rockers oblique to each other permits of the turning of the front parts of the horse in either direction without cramping the rockers. The rider must pull on one rein or other, or manipulate the handle bar 33 in order to cause the horse to vary from the straight course. i

37 represents rubber buffers disposed in the recess 13 to absorb the shock when the parts 3 and 11 come together.

If it is desired to convert the device into a simple rocking horse, the rider should first extend the parts of the horse, as shown in Fig. 2, and then with one hand reach under the front end of the saddle, and swing a small latch 34, which is pivoted to the top ofpart 6, around in front of the tongue of the saddle, as shown in full lines in Fig. 3. When he has done this, the latch 34: will hold the saddle from. movement in. either direction, and at the same time prevent the tongue of the saddle from releasing the spring 26 and catch 30 on the under side of the horse, for allowing the parts to close up. When the rider wishes to change the device back into a traveling rocking horse, he may swing the latch 34 outwardly to the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3. Then the saddle will be free to tilt forward or backward as before and permit the horse to stretch and close up.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A rocking horse, comprising front and rear body parts, the said parts arranged to overlap near the middle of the horse, a sleeve to'pierce and pivotally join said parts, for independent movement in a vertical plane, a bolt passing through said sleeve adapted to prevent the lateral spreading of said parts, a saddle, the said saddle having an integral depending tongue, the said tongue disposed in a slot formed in the rear end of the front part rearwardly of said sleeve and bolt, a pin to pivotally hold the saddle in place, a spring disposed longitudinally beneath the body of the horse, the rear end of the spring secured to the rear part, its free end overlapping the front part, a stop formed on said spring and a catch carried by said front part, the catch adapted to engage said stop for holding the front and rear parts extended.

2. A rocking horse, comprising front and rear parts, the rear end of the front part and the front end of the rear part overlapping and pivotally connected in a manner to permit independent movement in a vertical plane, a set of rockers for each of said parts, the front rockers disposed between and normally overlapping the rear rockers, a spring carried by the rear part and disposed longitudinally beneath the body of the horse, the free end of said spring extending forward and overlapping the front part, a stop formed on the upperside of said spring near its free end, a catch carried by the front part adapted to engage said stop when either of said parts are extended for temporarily preventing the gathering of said parts, a rocking saddle to control the closing up of the said parts, and a latch mounted on the top of the front part adapted to permit or prevent the rocking of the saddle.

3. A rocking horse, comprising front and rear parts, the rear end of the front part and the front end of the rear part overlapping and pivotally connected ,in a manner to permit independent movement in a vertical plane, a set of rockers for each of said parts, the front rockers disposed between and normally overlapping the rear rockers, a spring carried by the rear part and disposed longitudinally beneath the body of the horse, the free end of said spring extending forward and overlapping the front part, a stop formed on the upperside of said spring near its free end, a catch carried by the front part adapted to engage said stop when either of said parts are extended for preventing the gathering of said parts, and a saddle having 2. depending integral arm, the said arm pivoted in a slot in said front part, the free end of said arm projecting below the body of the horse and normally resting against the upperside of said spring adapted to depress the free end of the spring when the saddle is rocked forward, thereby to break the connection between said catch and said stop, to permit the closing up of said parts.

4:. A rocking horse, comprising front and rear parts, pivotally joined together by a horizontal bolt, the adjacent ends of said parts each recessed to receive the other and to form a vertical lap-joint, one of said parts hinged to permit lateral movement, and both of said parts capable of independent movement in a vertical plane, a saddle having a depending tongue pivotally carried by the extension of the front part, the said tongue having a greater length than the depth of the horses body, a spring disposed longitudinally beneath the body and secured at one end to the rear part, the free end of said spring over-lapping the'front part, and having a stop mounted on its upper side, and a catch secured to the front part above and at right angles to said spring adapted to engage the stop and to cooperate with the spring for holding the parts of the horse extended, and means for disconnecting the stop and catch for allowing the automatic gathering of said parts.

5. A rocking horse comprising front and rear parts, the said parts being pivoted together and capable of being stretched apart and closed up, one of said parts being hinged for independent lateral movement With respect to the other part when said parts are extended, a pair of rockers for each of said parts, a spring carried by the rear part, its free end overlapping the front part, the tension of said. spring normally exerted to hold the spring against the under side of the body of the horse, the said spring provided with an integral stop disposed on its upper side near its free end, a catch rigidly secured to the front part above and at right angles to said spring, adapted to engage said stop When the parts are extended for preventing theclosing up of said parts, and a saddle having a depending integral tongue pivoted in the front part, the free end. of said tongue adapted to engage said spring and to break the connection between said catch and the stop on said spring to permit the closing up of said parts.

6. A traveling rocking horse, comprising front and rear parts, the said parts arranged to overlap each other near-the middle of the horse, a bolt to pierce and pivotally connect said parts, a sleeve covering said bolt, the said bolt and sleeve disposed so that the rear extremity of the front part and the forward extremity of the rear part extend past the middle of the horse, a pair of rockers for each part, one pair of rockers being disposed oblique to each other and arrange to telescope and normally overlap the other pair, a rockable saddle having a depending tongue pivoted in a slot in the front part, the said tongue extending below the body of the horse, a spring secured at one end to the rear part, its free end extending forward past the middle of the horse, and having a stop formed on its upper side, the said spring disposed directly beneath the tongue of the saddle and contacting therewith, the said spring capable of being forced downwardly away from the body of the horse by the rocking of the saddle, and a catch carried by the front part capable of engaging the stop of the spring and adapted to hold said parts extended until released by the tongue of the saddle.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SYLVESTER SPAIN.

HARRY DE WALLACE. 

